Dear Friends:
    Marilyn asks "why wouldn't finger feeding be considered an artificial
teat?" Great question.
    There is no evidence that I am aware of, beyond an individual case report
that supports finger feeding. Does anybody know of any?
    Many have wondered what the difference is between a bottle teat and a
gloved finger....doesn't seem to be much. Now if it is the mother's naked
finger, at least there is skin contact. Also the owner of a the finger can do
particular exercises for getting a tongue to cup and groove, rather than
flatten and guard; as long as the goal is to get baby back to breast.
    There is a product sold as a finger feeding device. I am not aware of any
product safety and efficacy studies for that product.
    Kittie Frantz has said at conference presentations that a bottle is
easier for a parent to use than a finger with a taped tube. I have known
parents to get very tired with the pumping and finger-feeding routine; this
can be a factor motivating parents to quit altogether. I have also known
cases where finger-feeding has been effective.
    Personally, I don't recommend finger-feeding any more. I use skin-to-skin
contact, remedical co-bathing, CST, pumping and bottle feeding  human milk
with a different teat at each feed (as long as the shank is symmetrical, and
cylindrical), lots of support and patience to get B to breast. The idea
behind a different teat at each feed is to keep baby a bit unsettled: fed,
but not able to lock into one particular style of teat. Whereas Mom is always
and wonderfully the same.
    The only alternative feeding method approved by WHO is cup feeding, and
there is a growing body of research supporting the cup.
    Probably finger feeding is another technique that can be beneficial or
misused. It would be great to have some research that validates our practice.
What do you all think?
    Warmly,
Nikki Lee RN, MSN, Mother of 2, IBCLC, CSTP, CIMI
Elkins Park (a suburb of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,  northeastern USA)
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